Causes of vomiting in children

Most of the reasons for vomiting in children are because they eat too much in their daily diet or because of improper diet. Because their intestinal digestion is not very perfect, some foods cannot be completely digested. This will cause too much undigested food to accumulate in their gastrointestinal tract, eventually leading to nausea and vomiting. As long as the diet is adjusted, the condition will improve.

Collect medical history carefully and first understand feeding methods, time, habits and bowel movements. Newborns should be asked about the time and development of vomiting, and the mother's pregnancy and delivery history, medication history, and symptoms associated with vomiting should also be understood.

Careful physical examination, necessary laboratory tests and imaging examinations. A preliminary diagnosis can only be made after an objective and comprehensive analysis. Analysis of vomiting symptoms:

1. Time and frequency of vomiting

If a newborn vomits several hours after birth, the baby may inhale amniotic fluid during delivery; if the baby frequently vomits 24 to 36 hours after birth and does not have a bowel movement after birth, anal or rectal atresia should be considered; if the baby continues to vomit 1 to 2 weeks after birth and worsens in the third week, accompanied by weight loss and malnutrition, the baby needs to be observed for pyloric hypertrophy and stenosis; if the baby vomits coffee-colored mucus within a few hours after birth, the baby may accidentally swallow maternal blood. A 3-year-old child who repeatedly and persistently vomits brown substances may have a hiatal hernia.

2. The manner or condition of vomiting

Spitting up milk (milk regurgitation) is when a baby spits out or vomits a small amount of milk from the corners of his mouth after feeding. In a few babies, milk sometimes sprays out of his mouth and nose. The spit-up is raw milk and is not accompanied by any discomfort. It may be due to improper feeding, overeating, and gas in the stomach. The amount of milk or frequency should be reduced appropriately, the baby should be fed while sitting, and the baby should be patted on the back after feeding; the stomach contents return to the mouthful by mouthful or reflux out of the mouth. This symptom usually appears after six months of age. This is a rare rumination phenomenon; it is spit out in large quantities from the mouth or from both the mouth and nostrils. Observe the child for headache, fever, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Encephalitis, brain tumors, etc. should be excluded, and central nervous system diseases should be excluded.

3. Content and nature of vomitus

(1) The vomitus consists of clear or foamy mucus and undigested milk or food. It means that the food you eat is blocked from moving downward and the obstruction is above the cardia. It is seen in congenital esophageal atresia in newborns, esophagitis in all age groups, esophageal stenosis and achalasia caused by it, etc.

(2) Vomitus consists of mucus, curds, and stomach contents, indicating that food has entered the stomach. Vomiting can be caused by infectious diseases, gastrointestinal infections and pyloric obstruction. Seen in pyloric hypertrophic stenosis and pyloric valve.

(3) The vomitus is yellow or green, clear, mucous, and sometimes mixed with a small amount of milk or food. It is common in severe functional vomiting in all age groups; in neonates, it is more common in duodenal atresia or stenosis, annular pancreas and intestinal malrotation.